
.GP 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

HIM 

014 420 901 1* 



Fourth Series, No. 12 February 15, 1913 



®earij?rii (Ealbg? Sulbttn 




Canned Foods: Fruits and Vegetables 

BY 

FLORENCE R. CORBETT 

INSTRUCTOR IN HOUSEHOLD ARTS, SCHOOL OF PRACTICAL ARTS, 
TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 



Technical Education Bulletin, No. 18 
PRICE, 10 CENTS 



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CANNED FOODS— FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 



Introduction 

The process of preserving food by enclosing it in hermeti- 
cally sealed glass, was invented by Frangois Appert in France in 
the early part of the nineteenth century. But the canning indus- 
try probably had its real inception a little later when in England 
Peter Durand used the same principle in preserving food in 
pottery and tin, the use of these materials making possible the 
commercial development of the industry which could not have 
prospered had glass been the only material available for packing. 

Even with the use of all these materials for packing, the 
methods of canners left much to be desired. The cost of canned 
goods was prohibitive to most consumers in the days when almost 
every homestead produced its own food, and the supply for variety 
in the winter's diet continued to be "put up" annually with infinite 
labor and pains in the home until recent years when improvements 
in apparatus and methods have reduced the cost of the commer- 
cially canned foods, raised the standards of quality and won public 
confidence to a degree. The result has been a tremendous and 
steady increase in the out-put and consumption of the canned 
products, this in the face of the development of "cold storage/' 
which has revolutionized our marketing of perishable supplies, 
and in spite of improvements in other methods of preserving 
foods. As a result the economic significance of the use of canned 
foods has assumed proportions which cannot be ignored, either 
by the housewife who buys for her family or by the nation whose 
laws regulate (or fail to regulate) the preparation of food material 
in a form upon which we to a large extent depend. 

At the present time the housewife's problem in buying 
canned goods may present three aspects. First, the social aspect, 
the study of those conditions in the canning industry which affect 
the workers in this and other industries, and all homes where 
canned products are used. Second, the problem becomes to her 
that of supplying her family with foods which will replace fresh 
foods during the season when these are unobtainable and high in 
price, and at all times to supply variety. This is now possible to 
a degree never before known and we find practically every sort 



4 TECHNICAL EDUCATION BULLETIN 

of food put into tins — vegetables, fruits, fish, meats, game, poultry, 
milk, cream, eggs, soups, puddings, and bread. The third aspect 
of the problem is that of determining quality when buying, judg- 
ing if quality and quantity are as represented by the label and if 
they offer a fair return for money expended. It is safe to say 
that the average buyer for the home knows more of the grades 
and values of almost any other foods than of canned foods, but 
to be an economical buyer these should be known too, and it is to 
the discussion of these that this paper now limits its scope. 

Before one can distinguish the relative values of market 
grades of canned goods, it is necessary to know how these are 
determined by the packer. For fruits and vegetables the lines of 
quality determination are much the same and as follows. 

Grading Fruits and Vegetables for Canning 
i. Locality in which fruit or vegetable is grown. 

Naturally the fruits and vegetables produced in sections 
where expert gardening or fruit raising prevails and which natur- 
ally favor such crops, will be superior in quality. Of the most 
common and widely used, those grown in the northern states are 
superior in texture and flavor to those grown in the South, and 
because of the firmer texture "stand up" better in packing. Maine 
and Canadian blueberries grade higher than the New Jersey, while 
Maryland blueberries grade lower than either. Maine corn grades 
higher than that of New York State, and Maryland lower than 
either. New Jersey tomatoes are far superior to southern packs. 

2. The size of the fruit or vegetable. 

The larger the fruit, provided it is uniform and good in other 
respects, the higher it will be graded. In vegetables the smaller 
ones are graded highest, being younger and generally tenderer, 
juicier, and of sweeter flavor. 

3. Flavor. 

This is an important factor to the consumer, but does not take 
precedence of size, texture, and color in grading either fruits or 
vegetables because the buyer is generally influenced by the hand- 
some appearance of fruits or the delicate appearance of immature 
vegetables which may be quite lacking in flavor. The public's 



CANNED FOODS: FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 3 

preference is taken into consideration, and fine-flavored products, 
not notable for size or color, may be graded lower than those of 
pleasing appearance and inferior flavor. A striking illustration of 
this is found in the preference for very small peas which consist 
principally of skins, water and a little sugar. Because of public 
preference these are graded higher than the larger peas of rich 
flavor and higher nutritive value. 

4. Texture. 

Fine texture is a characteristic of high-grade fruits and 
vegetables. Tough peas and beans, fibrous okra and asparagus 
are graded low. 

5. Color. 

The natural color of the product when at its best is the stand- 
ard of the high-grade pack. Unfortunately, the attempt to emu- 
late nature has been overdone by some packers to the point where 
the majority of the public have come to regard copper-greened 
peas and beans as superior to those of nature's green. Now that 
the law requires that the facts regarding the use of coloring matter 
be stated on the package, the public is in a position to choose be- 
tween the natural and artificial, the safe and the possibly harmful. 
Fortunately, they are the fancy grades of vegetables which receive 
the copper treatment — the very small peas and beans in which the 
nutritive value is low and the price prohibitively high to the aver- 
age buyer. 

Even when the natural color of the vegetable after cooking is 
the standard sought, grading of the product is still done on color 
lines. Peas that have an occasional yellow one in the lot are 
graded lower than those uniformly green, while if many are 
yellowish the lot is graded lower still. String beans containing 
an occasional brown or rusty pod will be graded lower than those 
uniformly green. 

6. Whole or cut. 

The fruit or vegetable of suitable size which is sufficiently 
perfect (free from bruise and spots of decay) to can whole is of 
the highest grade, provided it grades high on other points. Those 
cut in halves grade next highest (as peaches, apricots, pears, 
apples) and those in slices next (as sliced peaches). Smaller 



6 TECHNICAL EDUCATION BULLETIN 

pieces sometimes referred to as chips grade lower yet. Pineapple 
slices afford the highest grade in that fruit, the chunks and cubes 
grading next and the chipped, grated, and crushed pineapple re- 
spectively lower. 

7. Peeled, unpeeled, pitted, cored. 

Those fruits which are improved by peeling are only left un- 
peeled in the lowest grades. The same is true of pitting and 
coring, except where the fruit is handsome in appearance but un 
sound at pit or core. 

8. Medium of packing. 

Fruits packed in water are of the lowest grade and generally 
known as "pie" fruit. Those packed in syrups are graded accord- 
ing to the density of the syrup, 35°-40° syrup being used for pre- 
serves (as strawberries), 30°-34° for fancy peaches, plums and 
other fruit for table sauce; 2$°-28° for high grade fruits for table 
sauce; 20°-25° for a still less rich grade of table sauce, and 
io°-20° for very light syrup suitable only on sweet fruits or those 
to which more sugar will be added in preparation for the table. 

Juicy vegetables are now by law required to be packed in 
their own juice (as tomatoes). Other vegetables must be packed 
in as little water as is necessary to immerse them completely. A 
little salt and sugar are allowed in the liquid. 

Trade Terms 

With the foregoing standards in mind the housewife will be 
able to understand the reason for the existence of certain trade 
terms used to designate grades of goods. In fruits, that termed 
"pie" fruit constitutes the lowest class, there being two grades of 
this in peaches, the unpeeled and the peeled, the latter bringing 
the higher price. Next rank those fruits having the lightest 
syrups, and these are the relatively inferior fruits as regard size, 
color, flavor, and texture. This grade is known as "Standard." 
Above this may be numerous grades, "Extra Standard," "Extra," 
and "Fancy" being the terms applied to groups of grades in- 
creasingly good. If fruits grade high as to variety, color, size, 
flavor, texture and are packed in heavy syrup they will be 
graded as Fancy, and fruits less good will fall into the other 
group grades according to the degree in which they approximate 



CANNED FOODS ', FRUITS AND VEGETABLES / 

the grade called Fancy, and according to the weight of syrup used. 
That it is quite impossible under this system, to depend upon the 
term Fancy representing the same quality of fruit year after year 
is easily seen, for the crops yielded of various fruits are seldom 
of the same standard in successive years. The same is true of any 
grade. In a good year the grade known as Standard may prove 
better than the Extra Standard in a poor year. This makes for 
uncertainty on the part of the purchaser, and any buyer of large 
quantities of canned goods finds it necessary to see the contents 
of tins selected as samples and to order according to sample as 
well as by grade and trade name. The small buyer is at a great 
disadvantage in being unable to do this. 

The trade terms for grades of vegetables are in general the 
same as for fruits. The poorest of southern-grown produce and 
the trimmings of northern-grown are graded below Standard. In 
tomatoes these sub-standard grades are sometimes known as 
"pulp" and "puree." In peas they are known as "seconds" and 
"soaked." This last term refers to peas that have grown too hard 
for canning purposes, but have been soaked in water from 12 to 
36 hours and then canned. 

Judging Quality of Canned Goods 

1 . On opening the can the volume of contents in relation to 
capacity of can should be noted. The contents should fill the can, 
and any considerable space between the top of can and surface of 
contents should count against the grade of the product. 

2. Any excess of liquid, that is, more than is necessary to 
immerse the solids lowers the grade of the package. 

3. The presence of any foreign material such as drops of 
solder, bits of paper, etc., which indicate careless methods in pack- 
ing, should be looked for. 

4. In canned peas distrust a very cloudy or starchy liquid 
as probably indicating the peas to be "soaked." This would be 
confirmed by the peas being mealy, large, and with skins easily 
loosened in the can. Peas being graded according to size, those 
known as "sifted" — whatever the size — are higher in price than 
the unsifted, sometimes known as "the run of the garden." A 
large number of yellowish peas in a can indicates inferior quality 
and flavor. 



8 TECHNICAL EDUCATION BULLETIN 

5. The smaller string beans (less than two inches in length) 
are high priced and more decorative than nutritious. Those over 
three inches in length are coarse. Those between two and three 
inches are generally satisfactory. The "cut" beans are cheaper 
but not uniformly good in flavor and texture. 

6. The smaller Lima beans (bush Limas) are higher in 
price and generally of a better color than the large beans (pole 
Limas). 

7. In canned corn that which is very milky or full of liquid 
may be found sweet, but it does not grade as high as the dry packs, 
and does not keep so well. 

8. Young okra is tender and the pods are canned whole. 
This brings a better price than the older pods which are cut before 
packing. 

9. Good spinach is packed whole — that is, the leaves are 
not cut. The chopped packs lack the fresh flavor of the other and 
their genesis is less certain. 

10. Tomatoes "hand packed" and "cold packed" are put 
whole into the cans while raw and steamed, so that they are 
cooked in their own juice. If any additional juice is required to 
fill the crevices, it is supposed to be tomato juice. Tomatoes so 
packed are superior to those cooked before the cans are filled, and 
will be found practically whole on opening the can. 

1 1 . All large fruits are more expensive in tins than are small 
fruits, as the tins are more solidly filled with the latter and more 
^portions can be served from a tin of given size. Of the large 
fruits canned whole or in halves, neither the largest nor the small- 
est form the most economical investment but rather the medium 
size. This is because portions are made by the piece rather than 
the spoonful and the very large pieces are few to the tin, while the 
very small necessitate two or more pieces being served to the por- 
tion. Large fruits bought in the "cut" form are most economical 
of all, for example, peach slices, peach chips and pineapple chips — 
for the same reason that small fruits are economical. 

Safe and Unsafe Tin Cans 

Until the last few years it was the general custom to seal the 
cans by soldering, and it was inevitable that some small portion of 



CANNED FOODS: FRUITS AND VEGETABLES y 

the solder should be exposed to the action of the contents of the 
can, and frequently drops of solder were lost among the contents 
of the can. The "sanitary" can is now used by the best packers. 
In this can the food is hermetically sealed without the use of solder 
by a clever mechanical device which folds and compresses the 
overlapping edges of the top and sides of the can. Such cans are 
stamped "Sanitary" on one end, and the consumer should dis- 
criminate in their favor for his own safety and to encourage the 
use of the best methods in packing. 

To prevent the undesirable reaction between acid fruits and 
vegetables and the metal of the cans, all tins employed for packing 
foods of strongly acid character should be lacquer-lined by a heat- 
resisting varnish. This is especially important since the cost of 
tin has advanced and the tin covering of sheet metal used for the 
manufacture of cans has become very thin. 

Cans rusted exteriorly are not evidence of deteriorating con- 
tents, but cans rusted interiorly may have an undesirable effect 
upon the food. Experience shows that soldered cans are often so 
rusted at the soldered end. 

Imperfectly sterilized foods often produce gas which bulges 
the ends of cans and sometimes causes the can to burst. This is 
more apt to occur in the case of those foods containing the least 
acid and most difficult to sterilize, as corn. Reputable distributors 
will accept such goods (known as "swells") if the swelling has 
occurred within a time limit set at date of sale, and will reimburse 
the buyer to the amount of the bill. It is difficult for the small 
buyer to return such packages to the retail dealer for credit unless 
he can prove that he has had the goods but a short time and has 
kept them in a cool place. 

Quantities of swelled cans are returned constantly to packers 
and distributors, and the unscrupulous handlers of such goods are 
known to have returned them to the market by the process of punc- 
turing the can along the side to allow the escape of gas, then re- 
heating, re-sealing and re-labeling. Such practice may be detected 
upon opening the can by the presence of the punctured and sold- 
ered spot. Needless to say the use of food so processed is most 
unsafe. 

Labels and Trade Names or Brands 

The experienced buyer will agree that considering the space 
and ink used in labelling canned goods, very little accurate infor- 



10 TECHNICAL EDUCATION BULLETIN 

mation is to be gleaned from the label as to the contents of a can. 
To the consumer the buying of canned food is a continual lottery 
in which "hope springs eternal" with succeeding purchases. To 
those who know that the packer knows what has been set forth in 
this paper regarding quality and grades (and much besides this 
probably), it seems that the packer has not dealt generously with 
the public in the labelling of cans. Perhaps among other things 
the packer knows that the public is lazily willing to buy blind- 
folded and trust to luck for prize packages. 

To those who use canned foods for anything further than rare 
emergencies, it is of importance that they know whether the ten- 
cent can of tomatoes weighs two pounds and eight ounces or only 
one pound and three ounces. It is important that they know 
whether the can contains one cup of liquid or two and a third cups, 
whether the solid material weighs eleven ounces or eight ounces. 
It is not of the slightest importance that one side of the can display 
a mammoth crimson vegetable such as never was seen in or out of 
a cannery, and the other side pictures of historical significance or 
pictures of flowers or children, all equally irrelevant, with an irrel- 
evant fancy name as the "brand" of the goods. Buying such pack- 
ages is analogous to ordering "ten cents' worth of meat" with no 
knowledge of the quality or the quantity to be tendered. 

The interests of the consumer necessitate that the label 
shall declare the name of the packing company, the place of 
packing, the weight of contents, the amoiunt of liquid, the 
medium of the pack (water, or syrup), the grade of the pro- 
duct, and the serial number of the guarantee under the law 
which vouches for the accuracy of the foregoing information 
and for the absence of preservatives and artificial coloring ; the 
name and address of the distributors or jobbers should also be 
given. All of this should appear whether the goods are packed 
in the state where sold or in another state. The date when 
packed should be stamped in the tin, as the word "sanitary" 
now is in some. 

In order that the statement regarding "grade" of goods may 
not be misleading, it is necessary that trade names of grades have 
uniform significance for packers and the use of the uniform 
grading methods and nomenclature be required by law. At pres- 



CANNED FOODS: FRUITS AND VEGETABLES II 

ent only experience enables one to know just how good is the 
"best" grade of any given packer's product. (All "best" grades 
are not now by any means equal to each other.) The definitions of 
the grades might be printed in fine type on the label. One packer 
is now doing this and it is helpful to the buyer. The consumer 
might be further aided by the color of the label declaring the 
grade of the package contents. Thus a white label might be used 
for products of the highest grade, and red, blue, green, yellow in 
the order of decreasing quality. 

The business of determining grades would necessarily be an 
annual matter, and could probably best be done by a joint-commit- 
tee representing the producers, the packing interests, and the 
Federal government. 

Determining Quantity Value 

Among dealers the sizes of packages of canned goods are 
designated by terms that refer to weight expressed in pounds. The 
common sizes or capacities are one, two, two and a half, three, and 
ten pounds, and are briefly designated as I s , 2 s , 2^2 S , 3 s , and 10 s . 
Doubtless at some time in the past the packages contained the 
weight of food indicated by the numerals assigned to the cans. 
But keen competition and the demand for low-priced articles have 
gradually shrunk the capacity of the cans, while the descriptive 
numerals have remained unchanged. Thus a can known as No. 2 
size may actually weigh one pound and six ounces. A No. 3 can 
generally weighs about two pounds and eight ounces. A No. 10 
can is above the average if it weighs eight pounds. 

It may be that no harm is done to distributors and large buy- 
ers when every one understands the situation and no one is de- 
ceived. But the average retail buyer not only has not this knowl- 
edge of conditions but does not even know whether he is buying by 
weight or measure. To him canned peas are graded as twenty-five 
cent cans, twenty-two cent cans, twenty cent cans and eighteen cent 
cans. When he chooses the larger of two cans at the same price, 
he does not know if it is the heavier can. If it is the heavier he 
does not know until he opens it whether the extra weight is due to 
an excess of liquid, or solidity of pack, or excessive weight of tin 
can and solder. Such buying is of course absurdly extravagant. 



12 TECHNICAL EDUCATION BULLETIN 

Much could be done by individual consumers and by commit- 
tees of clubs interested in the control of the cost of living, to safe- 
guard the interests of the public in the buying of canned goods, by 
publishing the results of investigations made by themselves of the 
weights and measures of canned goods for sale in their community 
markets. At least the buyer could then know in advance which 
brands offered the best investment, and the resulting patronage of 
good brands would tend to discourage the unscrupulous packer by 
a force more potent even than state and Federal laws. 

Method and Examples 

The method for such investigations may be very simple and 
yet effectual. One or more cans of each brand obtainable of any 
food (say tomatoes) should be purchased. All the information 
and descriptive matter on the label should be fully recorded with 
the "brand" of the can. Weigh the can before opening and record 
the weight, and price at which purchased. Open can, empty con- 
tents into a sieve, and weigh empty can, recording this weight. 
When solid contents have drained thoroughly, weigh these, meas- 
ure the liquid and record both. Comparisons of such records for a 
number of cans are very illuminating as to the relation of cost and 
value. On page 13 is an actual record of such procedure (the 
names of packers of course not being given), which serves to illus- 
trate the relation of cost to value. 

From an examination of the analysis on page 13 it is apparent 
that the cost of the can really bears no definite relation to the value 
of the contents. In two cans at the same price (V and W), one 
can contained two-thirds more solid fruit than the other. In 
two ten cent cans (Y and Z) the difference is considerable, one 
can containing a half more solid fruit than the other, and in 
one (Y) the cost per pound of solid fruit was 250 per cent of the 
cost in a fifteen cent can (Sample W). To the thoughtful this 
throws a little light on the high cost of living. 



CANNED FOODS I FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 



13 



COST OF ONE 

POUND OF 
SOLID FRUIT 


N 


m 


00 

CO 




C4 

in 






C4 


CO 


H Z 

% fc 5 

8°u 


in 


6 

in 




in 


u 
C4 


O 

O 


O 
H 


WEIGHT OF 
SOLID 
FRUIT 


N 
O 

CO 


jfi 


O 


N 
O 


N 
O 

00 


N 
O 


MEASURE 

OF 

LIQUID 


O 
in 


O 


N 
O 


N 
O 

O 


N 
O 


N 
O 

M 

£> 


WEIGHT OF 

TOTAL 
CONTENTS 


N 
O 


N 

O 
M 


O 

in 


O 

co 


N 
O 

in 


O 


WEIGHT 
OF EMPTY 

CAN 


si 
O 

in 


O 


N 
O 


O 


O 
co 


N 
O 


WEIGHT 
OF CAN 

UNOPENED 


O 
CO 


N 

O 
CO 

w 

M 


O 

£> 

M 


N 
O 

O 
[15 


N 
O 

co 

j£5 


O 

en 


Labels of 
Samples 
Examined 


Sample U 
Extra family 
tomatoes 

Contents guaran- 
teed to weigh at 
least 2 pounds 
3 ounces 


Sample V 
Extra fancy 
tomatoes 


1) 

.si 

P* rt 

a 


Sample X 
Fancy 

Contents guaran- 
teed 2 pounds 
3 ounces 


Sample Y 

Hand packed 
Guaranteed pure 
Contents 1 pound 
3 ounces 


"8 

a, . 
££ 

CTi 

CO 



14 



TECHNICAL EDUCATION BULLETIN 



Grade 
FANCY 
Hand 
Packed 

This can is 
guaranteed 
to contain 
one pound 
and twelve 
ounces of 
solid fruit, 
twelve ounc- 
es of tomato 
juice, with 
salt and su- 
gar and no 
artificial col- 
oring or pre- 
servatives. 



TOMATOES 



Packed at Pine Bluff, N. J. 



by the 



MARTIN L. BENSON PACKING CO. 



Guaranteed Under 

Food and Drugs Act, January, 1914 

SERIAL NO. 8106 



R. M. FOX & CO., New York, Distributors 



Conclusion 

It is evident that through some fault, somewhere, the purchas- 
ing public is either buying canned foods blindly or is wilfully ex- 
travagant. The last accusation is eliminated from the argument 
by the protests against the cost of living which are everywhere 
heard. Is it not possible that the demand for a low-priced package 
is the cause of the gradual reduction in size of the packages, and 
the skimping of contents? Is it not possible that as a whole the 
public has bought blindly, and its most insistent demand, that for 
the cheap package, has been met ? If so, then it has what it really 
insisted upon and is suffering the consequences. 

When the public takes the pains to inform itself as to quality 
and bargains for quantity in a rational way, there will be hope of 



CANNED FOODS: FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 1 5 

legislation which will protect the buyer of canned goods on these 
and all other points in which the public is vitally interested. In 
the meantime 

i. In buying canned goods, do not choose the cans 
because of the pictures on the labels. As art these are 
dear at the price paid for food. As food the contents of 
the can may be dear also. 

2. Do not hesitate to require of your dealer as much 
information regarding the quantity and quality of canned 
food as you would expect regarding a purchase of food 
in any other form. If you cannot obtain accurate 
information in any other way than by experience, be sure 
you publish your experience in your Housewives' League 
or other club interested in obtaining such information. 

3. Use your influence to obtain legislation which 
will require (a) uniform standards for all packers in all 
states, (b) uniform laws regarding labelling for all pack- 
ers in all states, and (c) labels which will declare accur- 
ately the quality and quantity of contents of the can, also 
giving the weight of solid materials and the measure of 
liquid. 



Standards Actually in Use by a Reputable 
Canning Company 

There are at the present time no uniform standards in the 
packing of canned goods ; therefore there is no uniform method for 
quality and quantity determination. The method in use in the 
Navy for the determination of quantity differs from that recom- 
mended by the writer in requiring that the contents of the can of 
tomatoes be not only drained but mashed by a wooden pestle in 
order that no liquid caught in the tomatoes be weighed in as solids. 
This does not seem to be fair, as the tomato is a very juicy vege- 
table and the proportion of liquid expressed by this method will 
be very uncertain. However, it is on the basis of this test, that 
one reputable firm packs its goods. Their grades must not there- 
fore be compared with the record of examinations previously given 



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TECHNICAL EDUCATION BULLETIN 



because of this difference in method. The following are the 
values of these grades : 

TOMATOES : 3 POUND CAN 





Gross Weight 


Net Solids 


Fancy Grade 


43-46 oz. 


2934 oz. 


Extra Standard Grade 


39-42 oz. 


24% oz. 


Standard Grade 


37-39 oz. 


21% OZ- 



References 
United States Department of Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin, 

No. 203. 
United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Chemistry, 

Circular 54, Analysis of Canned Peas and Beans. 
United States Department of Commerce and Labor : 

Census Bulletin on Manufactures, 1902. 

Bulletin No. 61, Census of Manufactures, 1905. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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